Tiger Yoga Pose

Description

How to do Tiger Yoga Pose

1. 01
   Setup

   Begin on all fours in a tabletop position, ensuring your wrists are directly under your shoulders and your knees are under your hips, with your spine in a neutral alignment.

2. 02
   Setup

   As you exhale, draw your right knee towards your chest, gently rounding your upper back and engaging your core.

3. 03

   Inhale deeply as you extend your right leg straight back and up towards the ceiling, simultaneously arching your spine and lifting your head and chest.

4. 04

   If possible, reach back with your left hand to grasp the top of your right foot or ankle, actively kicking your foot into your hand to deepen the backbend and shoulder stretch.

5. 05

   Hold this position for the desired duration, breathing deeply and maintaining balance, before gently releasing your foot and returning to tabletop on an exhale. Repeat the sequence on your left side.

Tips

• Maintain a strong foundation through your supporting hand and knee, pressing firmly into the mat to stabilize your body and protect your joints.
• Focus on lifting your sternum and arching your upper back, rather than just crunching into your lower back, to distribute the spinal extension evenly and prevent discomfort.
• If grabbing your foot is challenging or causes strain, simply extend the leg back and up, focusing on the lift from your glutes and the arch in your spine without the hand assist.
• Coordinate your breath with the movement: inhale to expand and extend into the pose, and exhale to draw in and stabilize your core.

Common mistakes

• Sagging into the supporting shoulder can compromise stability and strain the joint; actively press through your palm to keep your shoulder engaged and lifted away from your ear.
• Hyperextending the neck by craning your head up too much can strain the cervical spine; instead, lift your gaze gently, keeping the back of your neck long and in line with your spinal curve.
• Letting the hips twist open too much reduces the backbend's effectiveness and can strain the lower back; strive to keep your hips relatively square to the floor as you lift your leg.